Dear Loved Ones...

A lot has happened this week {which I am really excited to share with you all}.

 

Last Tuesday, we had a HUGE zone conference with President and everyone else. It actually ended up being 4 hours long, but it was really good.  It was raining  a ton the whole time During the conference though! So much that the power even went out and we all had to go into the sacrament room to be able to see each other. I must admit it was a little fun having all of our cell phone lights on. We learned a whole bunch though and this week has been really good because of it!!!

Hermana Owen

Wednesday I had my first divisions with the sister leader trainers, and I had a blast. They are amazing and both from Utah. They are the sweetest sisters and are amazing examples. I love the way they teach! Any ways I was able to go to their area and man is it super wealthy!!!! It was like I was in a little America, but not... Their investigators are super awesome though. It was super fun getting to know the hermanas and it helped motivate me to be better. Plus... I got to go RUNNING!!!!! It felt AMAZING!!! We even ran by Presidents HUGE house! But then the next day I came back to my area and got to work with my companion again.
 

I can't remember the day, but we were walking to one of our areas and we passed this old man. For some reason we didn't contact him, which is really unusual for us. We ended up going a few streets up and low and behold the same man who we just passed was sitting on the side walk. I thought to myself, well that is a sign that we need to go contact him, and we were given another chance! So we ended up inviting him to conference, and he told us that he has a lot of problems and had been praying for a light to come into his life. He expressed to us how his wife died 3 years ago and having no kids he was really lonely. He spend those 3 years drinking his feelings away, but just yesterday he made a promise to God to stop drinking. The temptation is so hard for him that he decided to get out of his house and walk, and then we met him. It was a super powerful lesson and helped strengthen my testimony that Heavenly Father really puts people into our paths for a reason. Well later that day after finding new investigators and having them tell us that we came at the perfect time, when they were feeling down {little day of miracles} we had to cross a bridge, that is broken. Instead there is a bunch of 2 by 4's hammered together, {not very well I might add} over the broken path. Well we had to cross it, and boy were we scared! But we knew that we would be protected and guess what? We lived!!!

We also had a fun little activity with a less active family this week. After our lesson we made prayer rocks for all the little kids, they loved it! We also received a lot of pomelos, oranges, mandarins, and avocados. These are the fruits that are in season right now. It is pretty cool, not going to lie. We come home all the time with bags full of fruit!

So supposedly Wednesday there is supposed to be a huge protest and all the buses and shops are going to be closed down. So We don't know if we are going to have changes pushed back later of not. So right now I am dying with anticipation to know if we will have changes or not. I am still hoping not.

OH!!!!!!! haha the funniest thing happened yesterday. So I was showing a picture of my family to one of the less actives, and the wife... well... she fell in love with my dad!!!  She kept saying that she wanted his number and facebook, and that my mom was her competition. She was saying all this and more in front of her husband. It was a little awkward, but hilarious at the same time. The best part is she showed her sister, and she as well feel in love. Well dad, you now have two admirers here in Paraguay!!!

She could not stop going off on how handsome he is, and how tall he is, and all about his green eyes. She kept saying that she wanted his number!!!!

Anyways I love you all and have a good week!!!!

Hermana Sanders

Hello Everyone!!!

Hello everyone!!! 

This week was a little stressful because we had been preparing for a baptism for this Saturday. Unfortunately, it was pushed back to April.  Until then, we are going to work on teaching our little family how to read. Also, this week we found these adorable less active family of about 5 or 6 kids. They have not been to church for about 4 years, but this Sunday they came!!!! It was so amazing! What made it so amazing was that our ward rented a bus for all the menos activos {Less Active Members}because lots of people live really far away. So about 10 minutes after 9, the chapel was looking really empty... then all the sudden, crowds and crowds of people came walking in. We had the highest attendance I have seen since I have been here. It was so cool seeing all these new faces, and people coming to church again. 

Also the weather has been crazy, as usual. Right now it is pouring rain, but I can promise you after we are done emailing it will be sunny once again. We have only been caught in one rain storm this week and we were walking from the outer skirt of our area. We had to run for cover and wait for the rain to die down. Other than that we have been blessed with being inside our house, or others. But I can´t complain, because it cools things down a lot. 

Today was an awesome day. We met the dentist today at 9 in the morning which was close to our apartment.  After our appointments, the dentist's brother, along with her mom and cute little baby, drove us around all day. This is how our day started...We ran some errands with them, and got fed big mac's, juice & sprite!  Then we drove around Asuncion and to the airport. After that we went to the dentist office and got our teeth cleaned... NO CAVITIES!! woohoo! Then they took us to a store that had an American isle and I bought SKIPPY PEANUT BUTTER!!! and some other American food! It was so fun!!!  We were laughing the whole time.  They insisted on taking us to Dominos {the only one in Paraguay} He ordered 3 HUGE pizzas!  Because we obviously couldn't eat it all, they gave us a whole pizza to take home! Oh, did I mention we were out of our mission too! OOPS... Probably the only time ever!!! After that, they took us to the mission office where we got all of our supplies that we needed. So today, we made some really awesome friends. It was great!!! 

I am doing really great.  I love teaching these people and I love the spirit that I feel each day. I only have one more week before the change,{transfers} which have gone by way to fast. I am hoping I will get to stay with my companion one more change,{transfer} because she is the best! But we will see. Love you all! 

Love, 

Hermana Sanders

{3-10-2014}

{Me & Hermana Favela}

On Monday, March 10, 2014 12:52 PM
So this week not a lot new happened. I am still loving every moment, and continue to learn something new everyday. It has been off and on with the rain, so it always keeps us on our toes. I have learned to always bring my umbrella with me everyday, even if it doesn't look like it is going to rain. Some days it will be as sunny as ever, and all the sudden a rain storm can start up. Other days it is really cloudy, and a few short hours later the sun is shining and the heat is beating down. It is pretty unpredictable.

We have been talking a lot about raising our numbers of lessons each week, and contacting in our district meetings and zone meetings. We are constantly striving to meet more and more people, and receive more investigators. Also we have been given a list of 15 families that we need to reactivate in the church. Let's just say that we have been super busy every day! It is also crazy how much we walk every day, trying to have as many lessons as possible. I some what feel like a pregnant women on my mission. Let me explain... So every day we are fed portions of food for a grown man, plus some. Due to the amount of food we eat everyday I have gained weight. This only adds to the amount of stress that I feel every day. Also for the past week or so my feet have become really swollen, and I have cankles. This is how I feel like a pregnant woman. But this will come to pass, right?

Even though at times it seems really hard, the people here and this gospel make it all worth it. We found so many people this week who have previously been taught by missionaries, but for reasons have stopped investigating. But we feel as though it is their time to come back unto Christ, and many of them feel the same way. I know that the Lord is directing us to these people everyday, because He loves them. He will never give up on any of His children, they are all precious to Him. We had a really amazing lesson with one of our investigators this week, which ended with all of us in tears. The spirit was so strong as this women shared with us how she needed this peace in her life that he gospel has brought to her. Even though she has no support from her parents, and she is a single mom, she promised she would keep going to church. She told us that she knows this is the right path, and she has never been happier. This is just one example of the incredible faith that these people have.

This Sunday was stake conference. My companion is so funny, and has been telling everyone we meet about it the past week. I didn't know exactly what to expect since this was our first stake conference on our mission. And wow... I have never seen so many Mormons in Paraguay in my mission! It was so amazing seeing the chapel, the gym, and the relief society room, and the stage filled with members and investigators. They talked a lot about missionary work, and about missionaries. It was really good meeting filled with the spirit.

I hope everything is going well at home. I love you all! Thanks for all the love and support.

Hermana Sanders

{What Mormons Believe}

Have you or any of your friends, family or co-workers etc... ever wondered what LDS Church members believe?   This  video explains what LDS members or "Mormons" BELIEVE  and is an introduction to The Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints. Please visit www.lds.org to learn more or contact or if you have any questions,  chat with LDS Missionaries by clicking here!!!

Hola,
So this week has been a real wet one.  It rains almost everyday, but we kind of like it because it has cooled down a bit.  In the mornings, it is even a bit chilly and we all end up studying with blankets and socks on our feet.  Oh, I even used a cardigan on day!  I guess it is normal for it to be really cold in the morning, warm up during the day, and then cool off again in the afternoon.  The weather in Paraguay is crazy!

On day we were visiting a recent convert and for some reason she loves to feed us every time we go over so she fed us this bread stick with dulce de guava and some warm milk tea drink!  We later found out that we weren't allowed to drink this certain tea...ooops!  But it was really good, and we had a wonderful lesson.

So, like I said, I love this area and all the people here!  Every time we walk past this neighborhood, there is this group of kids who always yell "Hermanas"!!!  And want us to come say HI to them.  Well, one day we went up there and there was this ADORABLE little chubby kid sitting on a bench.  He shouted "Hola Chicas" or "Hi Ladies", and asked us our names.  Then he said he was going to write in his journal so he would never forget us!  M companion and I were dying we were laughing so hard!  goodness....

This week we also had a family night with our investigators who are preparing to be baptized.  I love this family so much!!!  There is a grandma {who is HILARIOUS}, a mom, and her 5 kids!  Her youngest boy at first was so afraid of us, and would cry every time he saw us.  Now he loves us... and always wants to shake our hands!  Anyways, we taught a lesson about The Holy Ghost and did a little demonstration with the kids.  We blindfolded the oldest boy and had him listen to the still small voice{my companion} and walk through a maze while everyone else was trying to get his attention.  They loved it, and not to mention the spirit was so strong!  I love seeing the Gospel strengthen this family and see them become closer and closer together.  After that lesson, the daughter who is 10 years old, told her mom about an experience she had the next day at school, and that The Holy Ghost was with her in class and that he was there to help her!  How Cute!!!

Friday we helped the bishop sell hamburgers to raise money to rent a bus on Sundays to pick up all the less active families that don't have enough money to come to church.  That was fun, and now I know how to make Paraguay hamburgers.

Anyways, we had a wonderful week, and each day I learn more and more!  I hope everyone is doing well, and I miss you all!!!  Can't wait to hear from you all!
Love you,
Hermana Sanders